Chapter 3

Four black SUVs idled at the mouth of Hollow Pass, headlights cutting the fog. Rhys opened the door of the third one. "Get in." Kaden rode up front. Seraphina sat in back beside me, her perfume like crushed roses and old blood. "Why am I here?" I asked. "The treaty signing requires the artisan to present the silver," Kaden said without turning around. Artisan. Never Wren. Never his. Seraphina checked her nails. "How long is this drive?" "An hour." The convoy rolled into the pass. The pines closed in like a throat. Something was wrong. No owls. No wind. The forest was holding its breath. "Kaden—" The lead car exploded. Fire punched into the sky. Metal screamed. "HUNTERS!" Rhys roared over the radio. "Silver rounds—launcher on the ridge—" The second car went up in a ball of orange. Through the windshield, I saw him. A man on the ridge. A launcher on his shoulder. Aimed at us. "KADEN!" Time slowed. Kaden twisted in his seat. His eyes found the threat. Then found Seraphina, frozen beside me. His hand shot out. Not to me. To her. He dragged her forward, over the console, his body folding around hers. Then his boot slammed into my chest. The door burst open behind me. I flew out into the dark. I hit the gravel rolling. Skin tearing. Bones cracking. The rocket hit car three dead center. The world turned to fire and thunder. I couldn't hear. Couldn't breathe. Blood in my mouth. Blood in my eyes. My ribs were wrong. My leg was wrong. Through the smoke, I saw him. Kaden, climbing out of the burning wreck. Seraphina cradled in his arms. He carried her away from the flames like she was made of glass. Set her down. Touched her face, her hair, her hands. Whispered to her. She clung to him. He held her. I lay in broken glass and gasoline, waiting. He'll turn around. He'll come back for me. He has to— He didn't look back. Not once. Rhys found me. "Jesus—WREN!" He dropped to his knees. "MEDIC!" "Where is he?" "Evacuating the princess. Protocol—" "He kicked me out of the car." My voice came out wet and broken. "Rhys. He kicked me out and saved her." Rhys pressed his jacket to my bleeding head. His hands were shaking. Over his shoulder, I watched Kaden lift Seraphina into the last SUV. Watched him drive away. Without me. I woke under fluorescent lights in the pack infirmary. Three broken ribs. Fractured leg. Burns across my back. My chart hung at the foot of the bed. Wren Hale. Wolfless. No accelerated healing. Priority: Low. Every wolf in that convoy had already healed. I was the only one still bleeding. "Where is he?" I asked the nurse. She hesitated. "East wing. With Miss Vale." "How long have I been out?" "Nineteen hours." Nineteen hours. And he hadn't come once. I ripped out my IV. The east wing was the luxury suite. Through the glass, I saw them. Seraphina, propped on silk pillows, not a scratch on her. Vampires heal even faster than wolves. Kaden in the chair beside her. Holding her hand. He looked soft. Worried. The way he used to look at me. Then he reached into his pocket. A velvet box. I knew that box. His grandmother's Luna ring. He'd shown it to me once, drunk, years ago, and said, "Someday." He opened it. Slid it onto her finger. She threw her arms around him. And he held her like she was worth saving. Worth choosing. My leg gave out. Rhys caught me. "I've got you," he murmured. "I've got you." I pulled away and limped back to my bed. At midnight, my phone buzzed. A photo. Seraphina's pale hand. The ring. Kaden smiling behind her. She said yes! Wedding's moved up. Two months. - S Then a second message. Same number. Tomorrow at dawn, the Alpha will have your mark removed from his heart. The procedure requires moonsilver. Only you can hold it. Bring your blade. I read it three times. Then I texted Dad. Change of plans. I need out in 48 hours. He was going to carve me off his heart. And they wanted me to hold the knife.